


Merry Christmas, Sire

by jessthebrunette



Series: Merlin and Arthur [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angry Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Christmas Fluff, Christmas Special, Cute, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Love Confessions, Oblivious Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Oblivious Merlin (Merlin), Worried Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:35:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21981508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessthebrunette/pseuds/jessthebrunette
Summary: Arthur has been betrayed by everyone he considered family, and it’s Christmas and he has no one to celebrate withCut to Merlin trying his hardest to make it his best Christmas ever, and no matter what he does, Arthur doesn’t seem to careOr, Arthur is in the worst mood and is taking it out on Merlin by making him organise every single thing that needs sorting for Christmas
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin and Arthur [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582333
Comments: 14
Kudos: 223





	Merry Christmas, Sire

Merlin hated Christmas. 

He didn’t want to, in fact back in Ealdor it had been his favourite time of year. His mother would always give him a present he loved, no matter how small, and they’d spend the day together, relaxing in each other’s company. 

It had always been a day off, a day to appreciate life. Arthur didn’t understand that. 

In the week before Christmas, Merlin was being pulled each and every which way by Arthur and didn’t have a moment to even sleep. 

It was becoming more and more painful each year, and now he was King, Arthur had only put more effort into Christmas, or put more effort into Merlin dealing with Christmas. 

So much effort that Merlin didn’t get to enjoy any of the festivities himself, and because of that, he absolutely hated Christmas. 

He was in charge of organising the decorations, the invitations to the Christmas Feast, the speech to be read at the feast, the clothes Arthur would wear to the feast, the food actually served at the feast, and the drinks to go along with it. Not to forget that he, himself, after organising the feast would be too busy serving to enjoy any of it, and Merlin couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had a proper meal, he’d been too busy to eat. 

But Merlin didn’t moan to Arthur, or even present to moan, Arthur was angry, that’s why he was keeping busy, forcing Merlin to keep busy. 

He was lonely. 

No Uther. No Morgana. No Agravaine. No Gwen. 

The entire family he’d had for his life were gone, and it was his first Christmas by himself as King. 

He didn’t want to talk about it, he’d made that very clear by throwing a plate at Merlin when Merlin had tried to get him to open up, a bruised hand and a luckily-not-broken-nose later, Merlin had ran out of the room and Arthur had barely said a word to him since. 

Merlin also hated Christmas because it had upset Arthur, even if Arthur wouldn’t admit it to himself. 

Merlin couldn’t help it, Arthur was his destiny, he liked him happy. Well, he loved him happy. Merlin had gotten past the point of denying his love for Arthur, he’d been in his service for nearly five years, he’d realised his affection for him was nothing he’d felt for anyone else before. 

His constant need to die for him, to protect him, to make sure he was happy, and the overwhelming sense of relief he’d felt when Arthur had rejected Gwen for good also stopped him from denying his feelings. 

And since Arthur would never feel the same way, Merlin could at least ensure he’d have a good Christmas, no matter how much it was driving Merlin into an early grave. 

Merlin was finishing the touches on Arthur’s speech for the feast when the man himself came barging into the room, an angry look on his face. 

“Merlin!” Arthur screeched, stalking towards him. “You idiot! You haven’t sorted my presents to give to the Knights!”

“You usually do that yourself, my Lord,” Merlin said hesitantly, going through the list of jobs he’d been given in his head. “I assumed it was the same this year.”

“You assumed did you?” Arthur shouted, his voice now actually hurting Merlin’s ears. “Did you not think that when I told you to get presents that maybe it was your job this year?”

“I don’t think you told me to-“

“Are you questioning your King?” Arthur asked, and it was one of the times Merlin knew he wasn’t joking, and he stayed quiet. “You can’t even get the simplest of things right can you, Merlin? You really are completely useless!”

Merlin couldn’t help the tightness that began to rise in his throat, he’d tried so hard to make everything perfect and ready for Christmas, and here was Arthur, not caring in the slightest, because Merlin had forgotten one thing he wasn’t even told to do. 

Because Arthur didn’t actually care about him, he never would, Merlin was just some useless servant in his eyes, and that’s all he would ever be. 

“I treat my Knights as family and you know that! I thought maybe this year of all years, a year that has been more painful for me than any other, you’d have actually tried to help, tried to do your job properly for once.” Arthur yelled, Merlin’s eyes were starting to sting. “But here we are, always forgetting your position, Merlin, you’re a servant. You do the jobs I ask you to, it’s not a difficult concept.”

“I’m also your friend.” Merlin spoke up, keeping his upset out of his voice. 

“Friends don’t serve each other, Merlin, you are not my friend. I am your King!” Arthur shouted again, his voice now so loud it has echoed the last sentence around the room, causing it to hit Merlin with a larger impact. 

That’s when Merlin had had enough, the pain those words had caused him were enough to make him hate Christmas for the rest of his life, in Ealdor or not. He met Arthur’s eyes with a glare, throwing the present he had been hiding in his pocket on to the floor, and stalking past his King angrily. 

“And if that is true, my King, after all we’ve been through, then I am no longer your servant, and I quit your service,” Merlin stated, his voice now shaking with his sadness, tears building up in his eyes. “Merry Christmas, my Lord.”

With that he left, not comprehending the look of panic on Arthur’s face through his tears, he ran back to his quarters, which were thankfully empty, and slammed the door to his room before letting the tears flow down his face. 

He didn’t even know why he was so upset, he’d tried so hard to make this Christmas great for Arthur, he’d almost killed himself with how hard he’d worked to organise everything, he’d never been so exhausted in his life. 

Arthur hadn’t cared, he’d said Merlin hadn’t put in the effort when Merlin had never been more loyal, he’d called him his servant, not his friend, not his family as he’d referred to the Knights, when that was exactly what he’d thought of Arthur of. 

Arthur was his family, his friend, his destiny, and his love, and Arthur had shown clearly that he thought of Merlin as none of those. 

Christmas was the worst time of year going. 

Merlin heard the sound of Gaius come back into the rooms, and kept himself quiet as to not draw attention. He didn’t feel in the mood for acting like he was completely okay just yet. He was going to have to apologise to Arthur anyway, might as well act like he was fine with everything. 

There was a knock on his door, he didn’t say anything, hoping Gaius would decide he wasn’t in and not bother him. That was when the door opened and Arthur stepped in, standing uncharacteristically sheepish, a worried look overtaking his face when he registered Merlin’s red eyes. 

He held in his hand Merlin’s present to him, the small shaped wood carving of a dragon sat on his palm. It was identical to the one Merlin’s father had given to Merlin, and he had spent months perfecting his skills with no magic to make Arthur’s present as special as possible. 

“A dragon for the Pendragon,” Arthur tried to joke softly, but grimaced when he failed to make Merlin smile. “You’re not my servant.”

“I know, I quit.” Merlin snapped, struggling to keep his face impassive. 

“No, that’s not what I mean, you’re not my servant, you’re my closest, and oldest friend,” Arthur started, holding his hands to his legs awkwardly. “That makes you more family to me than anyone else here. I shouldn’t have said any of those things to you, they were cruel and extremely unkind. I know exactly how hard you’ve been working, the Knights have been complaining to me that I’ve been working you to the bone. I have been, In sorry I’ve kept you out of my way.”

Arthur sighed loudly, looking Merlin up and down before continuing with a heavy look. 

“Earlier this week you asked me what was wrong, said I was lonely and depressed, which was making me angry,” Arthur explained, holding a hand to silence Merlin when he went to interrupt. “You were right I was angry but you couldn’t be more wrong for the reasons. The reason I’ve been so angry at you, and not wanting you to ask about it is because I’m not sure how to tell you.

“See the thing is Merlin, I’m in love with you, and I don’t know how to deal with it.”

It was the bluntness of Arthur’s statement that shocked Merlin more than anything, the complete confidence in his reason that made Merlin speechless. 

“You’d never love me back and I can’t understand that right now, that’s why I’ve been so angry at you, and it hasn’t even been your fault, I’m sor-“

Merlin interrupted him by kissing him hard, a giggle echoing in his throat. Arthur pulled back bewildered, a look of pure confusion plastered on his face. 

“I’m in love with you too, dollop-head.”

That was all Arthur needed to form the large smile on his face, matching the ecstatic grin on Merlin’s, as he pulled him in for another kiss and many more after that. 

“Merry Christmas, Merlin.”

“Merry Christmas, Arthur.”

Maybe Christmas was his favourite time of year again.

**Author's Note:**

> who doesn’t love an actual nice and cute and happy merlin christmas special 
> 
> MAKES A NICE CHANGE HUH   
> happy seven years everyone, please read and enjoy!
> 
> merry christmas everyone!


End file.
